Art and Cultural Activities in Bloomington, IN

Bloomington, Indiana is a culturally diverse and artistic community. If you’re looking for art and cultural activities in Bloomington, your search will not be difficult. There are multiple museums, performance venues, and art-focused organizations that provide cultural entertainment in the area. Indiana University Bloomington is a big contributor to the local art scene with their on-campus facilities, such as the Eskenazi Museum of Art and IU Cinema, that are open to both students and non-students. We’ve provided information about these attractions and a few more of our favorite art activities and cultural sites below.

African American Arts Institute

275 N. Jordan Ave., Suite 310, Bloomington, IN 47405

Located inside the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, the African American Arts Institute is home to three performing ensembles: the African American Choral Ensemble, the African American Dance Company, and the IU Soul Revue. These ensembles perform at a variety of venues around the community and the country. The Center hosts a popular concert series every year and facilitates performances, workshops, lecture-demonstrations, and community service endeavors.

Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington

PO Box 3294, Bloomington, IN 47402

The Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington is an association of artists, art organizations, and arts advocates dedicated to furthering arts of every type by providing a forum for communication, encouragement, and action. It aims to be a collective and unified voice for the arts in all their diversity to improve the general condition of artists and their organizations. Through this collective action, the Alliance seeks to reinforce the vitality of the Bloomington area as a center for the arts for our citizens and a vibrant destination for visitors.

Indiana University Cinema

1213 E. Seventh St., Bloomington, IN 47406

The Indiana University Cinema is a Bloomington theater that screens over 120 films every year. They screen films from around the world and various time periods. With auditorium seating, Benton murals, and period details, the IU Cinema transports moviegoers back to the days of early cinema. Screenings are open to students and the public with the purchase of a ticket. Films are shown during the fall and spring semesters. Monday through Thursday screenings generally begin at 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday screenings begin at 6:30 p.m. Weekend matinees begin at 3 p.m.The video below details the many features of the theater and special opportunities for students to learn more about film.

Eskenazi Museum of Art

1133 E. Seventh St., Bloomington, IN 47405

The Eskenazi Museum of Art houses over 45,000 objects representing nearly every art-producing culture throughout history. Admission to the museum is free, and museum tours are given for free, as well. While you’re visiting the art museum, you can see hieroglyphs on an Egyptian mummy case, admire paintings by Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso, and explore the sub-Saharan African collection that is considered to be among the best in the country.

Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center

3655 Snoddy Road, Bloomington, IN 47401

Whether or not you practice Buddhism, visiting the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center will provide an enriching cultural experience. The center provides education on Buddhism and strives to preserve Tibetan culture. In addition to Buddhist teachings and lectures, they also host events open to the public, such as their annual Stress Release Day Meditation and yoga classes. For information on all their programs and events, visit the TMBCC website.

We hope that you plan something exciting and unique to do this weekend in Bloomington now that you’ve learned about some of the art and cultural activities in the area!